Question Number: 25619

Law 11 - Offside 10/17/2011

RE: Competitive High School

Matt Antisdel of Fishers, IN USA asks...

I have a goody...This is a Men's High School Soccer game IHSAA, I am AR2. Here is the play in question...Offensive team is attacking far post from my position, offensive player is taking the ball into the 6 yard box(far post from my position) and takes the ball to the goal line where he plays the ball to goal, at the same time a defender has launched himself into the air in an apparent attempt to play the ball, I look to see if the defender was pushed, he was not, when I get back to the ball a different offensive player has the ball at the top of the 6(still far post from my position) and plays the ball to teammate 2 yards in front of him(inside the 6 yard box closest to my position) who then kicks the ball into the goal. Remember the defender who launched himself, he ended up on the ground in the goal, his entire body is in the goal off the field. When the ball was played to the offensive player who scored I raised my flag for offside but immediately called the center over to discuss. I told him what I saw and basically had to figure out whether the defender left the field intentionally or by playing the ball left the field unintentionally. We felt that he played the ball going to goal and left the field unintentional, took the goal away and had offsides.

Does this make sense, or did I/we get it wrong. All comments welcome! Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Offside Position.

For purpose of offside position, a defender who is off the field of play temporarily is considered to be located where the defender left the field. Thus, the defender who was behind the goal line should be deemed to be located 'on' the goal line for purpose of determining who was the second last defender.

High school rules follow the laws of the game regarding offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The defender was 'on' the goal line for purposes of offside position of attacking players. If the defender was on the goal line the attacker could not have been offside and the goal should have been awarded

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Offside does not take into account intentional or unintentional positioning by defenders. Unless the player has permission to be off the field of play the defending player is placed on the field of play at his nearest position, in this case the goal line for offside purposes.
As desribed here there was no offside and the goal should have been awarded.
I might point out that the opposite does not apply as an attacker cannot interfere with play off the field of play. If the player in that position verbally distracts an opponent play is stopped, the player is cautioned and the restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped.